9 Jun 2011

Nuclear updates

It is a bit shocking to learn that the Japanese company that runs the Fukushima nuclear plant failed to let the world know that three of six reactors damaged by the tsunami actually suffered meltdown within days - as Porritt and others have said you cannot trust this industry - see more here.

However it was good to hear that residents in Shepperdine hope the ruling by the German government to close all of the country’s nuclear power stations will mean no new plant at Oldbury (pictured left). Reg Illingworth, chair of Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy (SANE), said fellow anti-nuclear campaigners were the most optimistic they had ever been since they began their fight against a potential new nuclear plant. See here.


Lastly three Lib Dems will have the chance to demonstrate 'muscular liberalism' or 'liberal capitulation' on Tuesday when the vote for public subsidy - or not - of nuclear power at the Public Bill Committee - see Greenpeace blog here which starts: "On the eve of a vital vote on taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power, we've published the results of an exclusive opinion poll which shows that the majority of people - 46 per cent - oppose any future subsidy for the nuclear power industry - compared to less than a third who support it (32%). Liberal Democrat MPs stood at the last election on a manifesto pledge of opposing new nuclear power and ending public subsidy: these opinion poll findings will be a reminder of what the electorate expect."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The nuclear fuel in three of the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant has melted through the base of the pressure vessels and is pooling in the outer containment vessels, according to a report by the Japanese government.

Telegraph 9th June 2011
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8565020/Nuclear-fuel-has-melted-through-base-of-Fukushima-plant.html

All 54 of Japan's nuclear reactors may be shut by next April, adding more than £18 billion a year to the country's energy costs, if communities object to plant operating plans due to safety concerns, trade ministry officials said yesterday. Since the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, which triggered a radiation crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant north of Tokyo, concern among local authorities has kept nuclear generators from restarting at least four reactors that had been expected to come online after routine maintenance and inspection. Several more reactors have since shut for regular maintenance, slashing Japan's nuclear generating capacity to just 36 per cent of its registered nuclear capacity.

Scotsman 9th June 2011
http://business.scotsman.com/business/Japan-faces-18bn-cost-of.6781997.jp

Philip said...

See also this:
http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/701071-desertec-take-over-nuclear-power